The Southern District Health Board was told yesterday the Ministry of Health had approved the business plan for the units and funding had been secured.
The Clyde hub would be built on vacant land on the Dunstan Hospital site, while a land purchase in Wanaka was considered by the board behind closed doors because of commercial sensitivity.
Negotiations for the Wanaka land were ongoing, SDHB chief executive Chris Fleming told the board.
"Progress has been pleasing and hopefully we will see further movement soon."
A request for proposal had already been sent to a pre-approved list of architects to design the buildings, in a tender which closed late month.
The board also intends to set up a steering group to oversee the establishment of the new units and to consider co-locating complementary services alongside.
Provision of services for expectant parents in the Central Otago and Lakes District has been controversial, as centres with growing populations demanded a primary birthing unit and centres which already had them battled to keep them.
Complicating matters were ministry requirements for units to be within certain distances from population centres of certain sizes.
After a lengthy consultation process, the two-unit model was adopted by the SDHB, a decision which meant the Charlotte Jean Maternity Hospital in Alexandra was scheduled for closure.
